Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

From the Introduction
Although overall teen birth rates have declined dramatically in the last decade, additional births to teens who are already mothers are disturbingly common. In 2002, there were nearly 89,000 such births, representing 21 percent of all births to teenagers. Nearly one-quarter of teen mothers have a second birth before turning 20. These additional births impose significant burdens on the young mothers, their children, their families, and society generally.

These additional births also seem somewhat puzzling. After all, many teen mothers struggle with caring for their infant or toddler, whether alone or with help from family, and often with little or no help from the child’s father. They regularly confront sleepless nights, crowded days, and restricted social activities. Attending school can be challenging, and graduating even more so. Given all this, why do such a large percentage become pregnant again and have a second child relatively quickly after the first, and what can be done to alter this pattern?